Electrical relay housing



Dec. 10, 1940. n. VAN VALKENBURG? 2,224,239-

ELECTRICAL RELAY HOUS ING Filed Feb. 19, 1936 Herma?! A TTORNE Y.

Patented Dec. l0,

UNITED STATES ELECTRICAL RELAY HOUSING Hermon L. Van Valkenburg, Wauwatosa, Wis., as-

signor. to Square D Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application February 19, 1936, Serial No. 64,628

Claims.

This invention relates generally to a device for making and breaking electrical circuits and more particularly to an electromagnetically operated relay.

One object of the invention is to provide a sturdy but very compact electromagnetically op-` erated relay.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved mounting means for an electrical relaywithin a closing box providing simplicity, economy and compactness.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved form of contact ilnger assembly for double throw relays in which a resilient contact pressure is exerted in both positions of the linger. i

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved form of mounting for a contact iinger in which the tlnger moves relative to its operating member in opposite directions against a spring, whereby a resilient contact pressure is maintained in both directions by a verysimple mechanism, while the extreme positions of thev operating member are positively limited.

Other objects and features of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following specification' and appended drawing illustrating certain preferred embodiments o! the invention in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the electrical relay according to the present invention with a portion of the cover cut away showing the internal mechanism.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line II-lI of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the' line III- III of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the parts in the energized position.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view on the line V-V of Figure 1.

The relay according to the present invention jacent the top and bottom, is provided with openings 8 for the reception of attaching screws. A sheet of fibre or other insulation 1 is provided immediately adjacent'to the back wall of the' box. In order to provide very small sizefthe relay mechanism is supported within this box` by means of a 'generally U-shaped insulating (Cl. zoo- 168) sheet 8 of fibre or other material. The mechanism is mounted generally centrally of this sheet and the edges thereof are then bent upwardly into the U-form with thebase having a width equal to the interior width of the box. 5 Due to the flexible nature of the sheet, the legs thereof will closely and resiliently engage the side walls of the box. These legs terminate closely adjacent to the top of the box and when the cover is in place it will engage the outward n edges of the insulating sheet and maintain the relay mechanism in position in the box. In order to keep the attachment opening 8 uncovered, the sheet 8 terminates short of the end walls of the box and guide-pins 8, rigidly secured to the 1| box, are provided to maintain the sheet in a central position within the box with the openings uncovered.

The relay mechanism includes a rigid insulating base II having mounted thereon adjacent its upper end a pair of opposed stationary contacts I2 and I3 and terminal connectors Il and I 5 electrically and mechanically attached thereto. These are mounted on the base by studs I8 and IIv which extend through the insulating sheet 8 and also serve to rigidly secure the base II to this supporting sheet. An L-shaped supporting member I8 may be riveted or otherwise secured to the base II and is preferably formed of conducting and magnetic material and is provided with a pair of terminal connectors I8 and.4 2I. The supporting angle I 8 is provided adiacent its front corners with a pair of projecting tongues 22 received in corresponding slots in an angle amature member 28. One side of-this 85.

amature member is notched as i's shown in Figure 5, providing clearance for a biasing spring 24 connected between the base II and the armature member 28 and biasing the latter'to its unenergized position more particularly shown in 4o Figure 2. 'l'he support I8 is provided with a pair of stops 25 for positively limitingthe de-ener gized position of the amature 28. A magnetic core 28 having an operating coil 21 therearound is mounted against the rear leg of the supporting member I8 and is secured in position by a stud 28 which passes through the supporting sheet 8, the base I I and the rear leg of member I8 and' is threaded'into the core 28, holding the parts` securely together. A shading coil 28 may be 50 provided embedded in the front face of the core 28. The magnetic path is through the core 2,8, supporting member I8 and the armature 28, al1 of which are formed of magnetic material. It will be readily seen that ifthe coil 21 is ener- 55 gized the armature 23 will be moved in the position shown in Figure 4.

A contact finger 3| is mounted on the armature 23 and has opposite contact faces thereon disposed between the stationary contacts I2 and I3. The armature member 23 is provided at its front face with a pin 32 which loosely projects through the contact finger 3|.. A spring 33 is disposed around the pin 32 in front of the contact finger and is secured in position by a washer and cotter pin as shown. The contact nger 3| is provided with tongues 34 received in correspending slots in the armature 23 to prevent rotative movement therebetween. The contact finger is provided with what maybe termed a flat depressed surface 35 through which the pin r,32 projects, which surface extends for some distance above and below the pin. The edges of the surface 35 constitutes axes about which the contact finger 3| rotates relative to the armature 23. As can readily be seen, this rotation is off-center with relation to the pin 32 and results in a compression of the spring 33 which serves to exert a resilient contact pressure. The extreme positions of the armature 23 are postively limited by the front face of the magnetic core26 and by the stops 25, and the stationary contacts I2 and I3 are so located as to be engageable with the contact faces on the finger 3| before the armature member reaches its extreme positions. This results in a turning movement of the finger 3| in opposite directions about the axes formed by the edges of the surface 35 and hence results in a resilient contact pressure being maintained by the spring 33 between the contact faces on the finger 3| and both of the contacts I2 and I3. This results in a desirable and extremely simple construction for securing a resilient contact pressure in both directions by a single spring mounting for the contact finger.

A flexible lead 38 extends from the terminal connector I9 to the bottom of the contact finger where it is securely attached as by means of a rivet 39. The terminal 2| is adapted for vconnection to an exterior circuit wire by which an electrical connectionto the contact finger 3| is -made through supporting member I8, connector I9 and flexible lead 38 to the contact nger. Connections to the stationary contacts I2 and I3 may bemade at the terminal connectors Il and I5, respectively. Terminals 4I and I2 are provided for the operating coil 21.

The operation-of the relay described should be readily apparent. The parts as shown in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, and 5 are in the de-energized positionwhere the armature member 23 is held by the spring 24 against the stops 25. In this position the contact finger is rotated about the upper edge of the surface 3| with respect to the armature 23 and the contact finger is resiliently pressed against the stationary contact I2 by the spring 33. When the relay is energized bythe closing of the circuit through the operating coil 21, the armature member 23 will be attracted into engagement with the front face of the core 26. The parts will assume the position shown'in Figure 4 with the armature member engaged with the magnet core and the contact finger 3| rotated about the lower edge of the surface 35 with the contact iinger resiliently pressed against the stationary contact I3 .by means-of the spring 33. When the operating coil 2'I is again de-energized,

= the parts will again assume the position-as shown in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, and 5 with the contact` finger engaged with the stationary contact I2. l

While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been specifically disclosed, it is understood that the invention is not limited thereto as many variations will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the invention is to be given its broadest possible interpretation withln the terms of the following claims:

What is claimed is:

1. Housing and mounting means for an electromagnetically operated electric relay comprising an outer metallic-box of a size to relatively closely receive said relay and its wociated elements, a generally U-shaped piece of relatively flexible insulating material, the base of the U being of a width substantially conforming to the interior box width and having said relay mounted thereon, said U-shaped piece being disposed in the box with its side walls in engagement with the side walls of the box and forming substantially the entire structural support for said relay within the box, the front edges of the side walls of the insulating material terminating in substantially the same plane as the side walls of theboxl and a cover for said box rigidly mountable thereon and, when in closed position, preventing forward movement of said vinsulating material within the box.

2. Housing and mounting means for an electric relay as defined in claim 1 in which the box is provided with interior guide means engageable with the edges of the insulating material to maintain the edges spaced from the ends ofthe box.

3. Housing and mounting means for an electric relay as defined in claim 1 in which the back of the box is provided with openings for supporting screws adjacent the top and bottom thereof, and with a separate insulating sheet serving to insulate the back of the box from elements on the back face of the base of the U-shaped piece, and guide pins on the back wall of the box adjacent the top and bottom thereof and engageable with the edges of the U-shaped piece to maintain the attachment openings uncovered.

4. Housing and mounting means for an electromagnetically operated electrical relay comprising a rigid insulating base having said relay mounted thereon, an elongated, flexible, bre sheet, said base being supported on said sheet substantially centrally thereof, an outer enclosing box having an openable cover, the ends of the sheet being bent outwardly to form a U-shaped structure received within said box with the legs of the U engaging the side walls 'of the box and with their outer edges engageable by the cover in its closed position to maintain the base and its supported mechanism in position within the box.

5. Housing and mounting means for an electric circuit controlling device comprising an outer HERMON L. VALKENBURG. 

